I wear basic swimming shorts. They bunch up but the material is so thin you dont notice. Most men I have been diving with wear speedo tell all tinies. Some men and thankfully some women go bare all underneath. They are usually European, and fun to hang out with at the bar after the dive!

I don't wear anything under my wet suit and I'm not from Europe. Except when trying them on in a store, I can't think of any reason whatsoever why anyone would need to wear anything under a wetsuit. Its both uncomfortable and unnecessary. If you're worried about changing its a simple trick of wrapping a beach towel around your waist, taking off your pants, slipping into your suit, then removing the towel. This trick does take some skill so practice it before you get on the boat

Hmmm, I guess you folks don't dive in the great Northwest! For me to stay warm, I have a Henderson 7mm long john with a shorty over the top. I am comfortable, but it's a bugger trying to get out of it after a dive. I was wondering if anyone has used a dive skin? This is a 1mm jump suit that goes next to the skin (naked or speedos optional). Do these help in getting the wet suit on and off, and do they provide any real additional warmth?

I also dive with a 7mm Farmer John style wet suit, and I do dive with a skin underneath it. I used to use a fleece lined Polartec, but just wasn't completely happy with it.

I changed to a Sharkskin a few years back, which is basically a thin plastic suit (I believe the fabric is polyolefin), and am very pleased with it. Aeroskin is another company that makes a similar suit.

They do make the thicker neoprene wetsuits slide on and off easier. The polyolefin fabric also sheds water very quickly, and dries in a fraction of the time that it took the polartec to dry. If you're doing multiple dives, it makes it easier to put the wet exposure suits back on after your surface intervals.

I also wear the Sharkskin under my shorty when I'm in warmer water. If I'm making 4 or 5 dives a day, it keeps me from getting chilled toward the end of the day. It can also give you a little protection from any accidental contact with things that could sting.

I dive the cold waters of New Jersey. I have a 7mil henderson semi-dry, I wear a hotskin under suit and top it off with a 3mil vest that I like to wear to keep my chest area warmer. My last dive , nov 11 the water was 44 degrees at 80 ft.I was alittle cold but it was bearable.

quote:For me to stay warm, I have a Henderson 7mm long john with a shorty over the top. I am comfortable, but it's a bugger trying to get out of it after a dive.

Ozzie_Fellow, I'm diving a 7mm fullsuit (jumpsuit?) with a hooded vest underneath. getting out with a towel is simple too. Pull the suit as far down your waist as you dare, then wrap the towel around you. now pull your suit down from the waist (grip suit at armpits for max leverage) as far as you can. you should get to about your knees. Now, with one foot, pin down the leg of your suit as close to the other leg as you can. You now have your full body weight on the suit as close as you can get to your other leg. Now just yank that other leg straight up as hard you can. Your leg should now be out to its ankle. Readjust your weight to pin down more of the suit as close to your ankle as you can and yank again, out comes your foot. Now its even easier with the ramaining leg because one leg is free. Its hard to work a wetsuit with just your hands, your legs are much stronger and this leaves your hands free to balance and get a hold of a rail or something. do not sit down while your doing this or the towel will show all. This towel technique is standard changing MO if you surf and change at the beach or in the beach parking lots.